Portland Timbers Switch Up Lineup, Smash Seattle

It is exceedingly rare for an MLS team to lose a game 5-0 and still end the week all smiles. And yet, that is exactly what the Portland Timbers did after trouncing a depleted Seattle Sounders team 4-1 Sunday night at Providence Park.

The win snapped a four-match winless streak for the Timbers against their northern rivals in MLS regular season clashes and capped off a roller-coaster week for the team after a mid-week match against Los Angeles saw the team implode in a 5-0 loss.

Both teams came in at less than full strength, with Portland missing defensive stalwart Liam Ridgewell due to a red card earned on Wednesday, and Seattle missing all three of their Designated Players due to injury (Obafemi Martins, Osvaldo Alonso) or suspension (Clint Dempsey). Seattle’s absences were keenly felt on both sides of the ball, as the Sounders were unable to mount consistent pressure on Portland’s goal while conversely, Darlington Nagbe, Gaston Fernandez, and Diego Valeri had free reign in the attacking midfield area usually patrolled by the feisty Alonso.

Portland was on the front foot the entire match, constantly challenging the Seattle defense with Fanendo Adi’s physicality, Fernandez’s deft moves, Nagbe’s speed, and Valeri’s creativity. But it wasn’t until the final 20 minutes when the Sounders’ defense finally tired that the dam broke and Portland put two in the back of the net within two minutes of each other, with Rodney Wallace adding a final dagger in extra time for the final score line of 4-1.

While Portland is surely thrilled with the victory and the three points that accompany it, the biggest development in this match may be the altered lineup that Coach Caleb Porter deployed to great effect.

For the first time this season, Porter started Valeri on the right wing with Fernandez occupying Valeri’s traditional attacking midfield position. With Adi up top and Nagbe on the other wing, Portland’s offense was free flowing and beautiful to watch. One-touch passes and balls put into space with room to attack were suddenly the norm for the Timbers from almost the opening whistle. Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei was forced into making seven saves off 23 Portland shots, and was under constant pressure almost the entire game.

Nagbe, Fernandez, and Valeri worked wonderfully together, constantly switching positions and changing the point of attack, keeping the Seattle defense in a constant state of confusion despite the presence of last year’s MLS defender of the year in Chad Marshall and U.S. international Brad Evans manning the back line. Portland was able to get to the edge of Seattle’s box with consistency, and easily could have ended the game with five or even six goals with a few better shots.

Coach Porter had to be thrilled with the chances and creativity that the lineup change created. Fernandez played with a confidence and skill level that he had previously shown while wearing Portland colors; Nagbe might have played his best game as a pro, running the channels with speed and purpose, striking a beautiful goal, and setting up Adi’s first goal with a long run and excellent pass. Valeri still looks somewhat rusty as he works his way back in to the first team, but his vision and movement were on full display alongside his attacking partners.

Before Timbers fans get too excited though, it is important to remember that this was not Seattle at their best, or even remotely close to it. The Timbers almost certainly won’t look this good every week, and new lineups always go through some growing pains. But, if Porter has the wherewithal to stick with this lineup, Portland’s attack could grow to rival the best in the league as defenders are constantly forced to pick their poison.

This week ended an eventful June for the Timbers, a month that saw the Timbers crawl back near the top of the Western Conference standings while also eliminating the hated Sounders from the U.S. Open Cup competition. The Timbers now sit with a record of 8-6-4, good enough for 28 points and 3rd place in the Western Conference just below Cascadia Cup rivals Vancouver and Seattle.

July begins with another U.S. Open Cup clash, this time against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. The MLS regular season picks up again next Sunday as the Timbers host San Jose at Providence Park. Portland then travels to Philadelphia, hosts Vancouver, and visits Dallas to close out the month.

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